Preventive therapies of pediatric migraine

Abstract

Migraine headaches are a common neurological condition in children and adolescents. Frequent headaches can negatively impact a child's school attendance and leisure activities. Secondary effects can be disruptive to family dynamics with parental work absences and stress involved in caring for an ill child. Preventive therapies for pediatric migraine have not been well studied and reproducible data from clinical trials is notable for its paucity in the neurological literature. Antihistamines, B-blockers, and other older therapies have limited data. Many of the newer therapies have been developed from antiepileptic drugs, which have reproducible safety data from pediatric epilepsy trials. This has generated further interest in evaluation of these newer agents such as topiramate and levetiracetam. However, for children and adolescents who will require preventive therapy to decrease migraine frequency; there is little evidence available for clinicians from randomized controlled trials. Drug Dev Res 68: 350-354, 2007.